Oscar Wilde was an iconic writer and playwright who, in the late 19th century, came to grace London society with an unusual glamour. Tragically, Wilde died on November 30th, 1900, aged 46. He had been living as a fugitive from justice, suffering from increasing financial impoverishment, since May 1895. So, where exactly did Wilde die?
Badly in need of money, Wilde left London and went to Paris, where he first took lodgings at the Hôtel d’Alsace in the Latin Quarter and then moved to a less expensive hotel in the Rue des Beaux-Arts. While here, Wilde notably wrote The Ballad Of Reading Gaol, a poem which tells of the harsh conditions in the jail of which Wilde was all too familiar. Here, in the city of love, is where Wilde would take his last breath.
The exact address of Oscar Wilde’s death is Tite Street, St Pancras, London. Wilde spent the last three years of his life in a maisonette located in this area at the home of an Irish literary enthusiast named Robert Ross. It was here, wracked with illness and failure, that Wilde died of cerebral meningitis due to tertiary syphilis.
Wilde’s funeral was held on 5 December 1900 at La Madeleine; a basilica in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. At the ceremony, Wilde’s good friend and sometimes lover, Lord Alfred Douglas delivered the preface of Dorian Grey. Wilde was laid to rest in the Cimetière de Bagneux, near the resting places of three important French literary figures, Victor Hugo, Émile Zola, and Honoré de Balzac.
As an Irish national, Wilde’s family requested his body be returned home to Dublin. However, due to Wilde’s poor health and incarceration in Reading Gaol, they had to wait more than ninety years to realize this wish. On June 13th, 1988, Wilde’s remains were moved to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, where a classic stone angel was commissioned for his grave by Merlin Holland, his grandson.
Wilde’s Life in Exile
Exile had a catastrophic effect on Wilde’s health, as he left behind a supported and comfortable life with a loving wife and two children. After his arrest in April 1895, Wilde was sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted of gross indecency. Upon release, his health was severely damaged and he was impoverished. Wilde’s reputation was over and staying in Britain would lead to further risks of imprisonment.
Wilde fled to Europe in 1897 and went into exile as a penniless outcast. He chose to live in cities with large expatriate communities such as Paris and Italy, particularly Naples. Wilde suffered from physical ailments, mental distress, terrible isolation and financial problems throughout his life in exile which is known to have been the period of struggle.
Wilde had access to some financial assistance from friends, but failed to make use of his contacts with literary figures such as George Moore; whereas Wilde was his own harshest critic, Moore was eager to form a business arrangement. Tragically, Wilde’s output in exile was low due to time restrictions, poor health and lack of money.
At the time of his death, Wilde had been living under the assumed name of Sebastian Melmoth, which is a reference to his own obituary piece and the character of Moth from one of his own works, The Importance Of Being Earnest. Despite his hardships, Wilde produced remarkable works during this time of exile some of which include the literary ballads, the article The Soul Of Man Under Socialism and the poem The Sphinx.
Stylistic Flair and Dramatic Exaggeration
Despite being in financial hardship, Wilde still maintained an ostentatious attitude and a flair for drama. His letters are full of wit and dry humour, as well as grandiose claims in regards to his own mental distress.
Wilde declared himself to be ‘without means or entanglement or mention of taint’ in his letter to the Home Office from December 1899, however the truth was, Wilde’s condition was far from this idyllic. His letters allude to a dramatic and tragic air which, alongside first-hand accounts, paint a vivid picture of his emotional distress, financial struggle and physical deterioration.
Wilde was deeply embarrassed by his own exile, as it stripped away his luxurious lifestyle, reputation and status. Despite this, he held strong to his whimsical and elaborative style, which occasionally expressed itself through exaggeration and presumptions.
For example, when signing off one of his last letters to Ross, Wilde chose to deal with ‘the tragedy of my existence’ with a rather out-of-place joke; ‘the comedy of my fate’. Despite his decline into poverty and desperate health position, Wilde still managed to express himself with flair, wit and above all, eloquence.
The Physical and Financial Impacts
Wilde’s exile was a difficult time financially and physically. In a conversation with Wilde’s son, Vyvyan Holland, a famous doctor at the time stated that his father’s decline in health was caused by ‘the breaking down of the body as well as the spirit’.
Wilde was in constant search for money, writing desperate letters asking for help. He steeled himself for the shame of begging and endured the humiliation of relying on aid from close friends for food and lodging. With the assistance of something of a network of friends, however, Wilde was able to afforest some assistance.
In April 1899, Wilde took a commission to deliver lectures on the English Renaissance in the USA. Knowing he was unfit for such a journey, his plan was to use the money from the lecture fees to pay off any outstanding debts. Unfortunately, Wilde’s ill health prevented him from doing so and he had to cancel the tour; effectively, his last chance at regaining financial stability.
Wilde’s Final Years
Wilde’s last years were full of sorrow, poverty, relocation and much worst of all, incarceration. Terms of imprisonment such as hard labor, solitary confinement and a slim food rations led to Wilde’s physical decline. In addition to physical toll., Wilde faced rampant public humiliation , and as a result, his writing came to a standstill.
Although Oscar Wilde did not have much in the way of money nor material possessions, he was surrounded by friends to offer comfort. Henry Irving, actor and cultural figurehead, constantly reminded Wilde of the impact and influence that he had had on the world around him; ‘for all the good thou hast done it shall not be forgotten’.
Despite repeated requests for early release in May of 1897, Wilde’s application was denied due to a lack of evidence. In his release, he wrote of his desire to go to the continent, highlighting his awareness of his own physical and mental degradation. Unfortunately, this was not to be and Wilde was left with nothing more than the prospect of financial chaos.
The Last Goodbye
Exhausted from his long stay in prison and no longer able to survive in England, Wilde decided to leave for France. On the day of his departure, a letter from Wilde to his lover in October 1900 was published, in which he wrote of how sad he was to leave England and how much he wished for a reunion.
The letter, in all its poignancy, serves as a reminder of Wilde’s plight and will forever stand as a testament to his great tragedy. From the expulsion from his home country, to his untimely death, Oscar Wilde lived as a broken figure; stripped of wealth, status and the comfort of family, but remaining dignified, stylish and laconic throughout.
Societal Challenges
Although his exile was a deeply sad experience, Wilde’s story also provides a glimpse into what it was like to live as a homosexual in London during the late 19th century. During this time, Wilde was one of the very few visible figures who publicly declared himself a homosexual.
Wilde’s story is a reminder of the difficulties that still exist in terms of equality and acceptance. At the time, Wilde was scorned for his sexuality and was subject to public humiliation and even imprisonment. The fact that homosexuality was still seen as a criminal activity at this point in history demonstrates how far we have come in terms of LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance.
Despite this, attitudes and behaviour towards the community still bear some of the same prejudices and stigma, making Wilde’s legacy ever the more important to modern society.
Wilde’s Legacy
To this day, Oscar Wilde is remembered as one of the greatest writers of his time. His works still live on and have inspired many further generations of writers and literary enthusiasts.
Wilde is particularly remembered for his intelligence, wit, and aptitude for writing a range of different styles. His trials, imprisonment and exile illuminated the social issues of his time, while his legacy stands as a reminder of the importance of creating a tolerant and open-minded society that values difference and diversity.
Wilde’s enduring fame, both socially and culturally, is a testament to his remarkable and influential life. In the end, being able to express himself honestly and freely; to challenge the norm and embrace the beauty of being human; made Wilde one of the most iconic figures of the 19th century.
